If you’ve used the Google Play Store, you could be eligible for some settlement money.
The money comes from a lawsuit settlement between the attorneys general of all 53 states and territories and Google, in which Google is accused of anti-competitive behavior on its app store. Google denies the allegations, but the parties reached a $700 million settlement in 2023, $10.5 million of which will go to Hoosiers, according to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita. This money could be dispersed in 2026 if it gets court approval.
Anyone who’s made a purchase within the Google Play Store or used Google Play Billing between Aug. 16, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2023, is eligible for restitution, according to the settlement notice.
Most eligible Hoosiers won’t need to make a claim ― Google already knows who is eligible ― but Rokita is encouraging anyone who’s ever had a Google Play account to go to the settlement website and submit their contact information just in case.
“Doing so now will ensure that applicable consumers are notified once the final settlement has been approved by the court and funds start dispersing,” he said in a statement.
That final approval may happen at a court hearing in April 2026. After that, a payment will be automatically made to eligible customers to the PayPal or Venmo account associated with the phone number they used for their Google Play account.
Submitting contact information to the settlement website enables Hoosiers to get notified of any further claims processes in the event they either don’t have PayPal or Venmo, or expected to receive a payment but didn’t.
Contact IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X@kayla_dwyer17.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Hoosier Google Play customers could be eligible for settlement money
Reporting by Kayla Dwyer, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
